Electric coupling



(No Model.) u

G. W. TAYLOR.

I ELECTRIC COUPLING. No. 373,759. Patented Nov. 22, 1887 limTnllll as WITNESSES cm, \A/FVIW nv VISA/70!? N. PEYERS. Male-Lithographer. wwn'n m, o. c.

UNTTED STATES PATENT @FFlCE.

GEORGE XV. TAYLOR, OF LEAVITTSBURG, OHIO.

ELECTRlC COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,759, dated November 22, 1887.

(No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. TAYLOR, of Leavittsburg, in the county of Trumbull and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the inven tion, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improved electric coupling, designed more especially for railway-trains, adapted to be connected and operated by the ordinary air-brake coupling, in which the electric wires extending through the train for forming a circuit for the current' generator are automatically coupled at the rear end of the train, the arrangement being such that when cars are added to or cut out of the train the electric couplings between the successive cars are automatically coupled or uncoupled, as required, by means of the neocssary manipulation had of the air-brake coupling, to the end that a complete circuit with the current generator is always had through the train without any extra labor or attention on the part of the operator. When electric signals are used on board a train, a battery, located usually on the engine, has wires attached, respectively, to the poles thereof, and these wires are made to extend through the train, forming a circuit in which are connected the necessary devices for signaling, such wires having to be coupled between the successive cars and coupled together at the rear of the train to close the circuit. Heretofore these wires had to be coupled and uncoupled by hand in making up the train and in cutting out or adding cars to the train, such manipulations requiring considerable labor, time, and attention on the part of the open ator, and the couplings were sometimes neglected, and the signal system thereby rendered inoperative. I have therefore devised an electric coupling in which the wires through a car are at the respective ends there of connected with the air-brake coupling in such a manner that by coupling the latter the former are automatically coupled, and the electric circuit thereby made to extend through the successive cars, and when the air-brakes are uncoupled the two wires of the car connected with the idle member of the air-brake coupling are automatically electrically connected, as would. always be the case at the rear end of the train. To this end each member or half of the air-brake coupling has attached and insulated therefrom a metal spring, to which latter is connected one of the electric wires, the other wire being connected with the body of the air-brake coupling, or with an attachment thereof, as the case may be. The said spring inits normal position, by means of suitable contactpoints. electrically connects the two wires. When the two members of the air-brake coupling are brought together or coupled, these springs, by engaging each other, or by engaging the opposing member of the air-brake coupling, or an attachment thereof, as the case may be, are pressed back from the respective contactpoints, breaking the electrical connection between the ends of the wire on each car and electrically connecting the wires of the opposing cars.

In carrying out my invention the springs of the electrical couplings or movable contactplates, and also the stationary contact-plates, are located on the outside of the airbrake coupling.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the one-half of an ordinary air-brake coupling, having attached a corresponding half of an electric coupling ernbodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a plan in section on the curved line of m 00, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan showing a modification of the electric coupling.

A A represents the two parts or members of the air-brake coupling, having the usual interlocking parts.

A are flanges 0r wings, the form of which is not essential, those shown being flat metal bars set cdgewise and rigidly secured to the respective members of the air-brake coupling. When new air-brake couplings are being made, these flanges or wings would be cast integral with the coupling.

B are metal springs secured to but insulated from the respective flanges A, each spring having a wire, I), attached. 0n the side of the flange opposite the spring is attached the ICU metal plate 0, the same being insulated from the flange and having the wlre 0 attached. Each plate 0 has a pin or contact-point, c, attached, the latter leading through a lateral opening in the flange and abutting the adjacent spring B when the latter is in its normal position. The opening through the flange is preferably lined with insulating material, b. to

prevent a possible contact of the part c with the flange A. By this arrangement of parts, when the air-brake coupling is uncoupled, as would always be the case at the rear end of the train, leaving the spring B in its normal position, the wires b and c of the car are electrically connected through spring B, plate 0, and contact-point c.

The free ends Bof the springs B project beyond thesupporting-flanges toward the opposing members of the air-brake coupling, and are ofi'set, as shown, by reason of which in coupling the air-brakes the ends B of the springs engage and are pressed back by the opposing plates 0 of the opposing member of the air -brake coupling, such engagements separating the springs from their respective contact-points c and electrically connecting each spring with the opposing plate 0. We have then the wires 1) electrically connected with the wires 0 of the opposing car.

It will be understood that the local wires 12 and c of each car have 'no polarity except as they are connected in the circuit of the current-generator, and consequently the orderin which these wires are coupled between the successive cars is not material, and the same result is had by coupling wires 1) and c as would result from coupling,respectively,wires b b and 00, so long as a single simple circuit is established.

A simpler arrangementof the electric coupling is shown in Fig. 4, where the plates 0 are dispensed with and the wires 0 are coupled directly with the respective flanges A,or with any portion of the respective members of the air-brake coupling. A contact-point,a, preferably integral with the flange A, engages the spring B in the normal position of the latter, so that when the air-brake coupling is uncoupled the wires b and c at this end of the car are electrically connected through the spring B, contact-point a, and flange A. The

free ends of the springs are made to engage and press each other back, by means of which, when the air-brake coupling is coupled, the wires bof the opposing cars are electrically connected through the two springs and the wires 0 are electrically connected through the body of the air-brake coupling.

Insulated stops a" should be arranged to limit the outward movement of the respective springs; otherwise the weaker spring might move back so far that the stronger spring would not break contact with its contact-point. The wires b and c are of course insulated, and are preferably wrapped together, forming a small cable, where they extend along the air-brake hose, to which latter the cable is secured, alter which the wires are usually separated and lead wherever desired through the car. Gaps are usually secured on top of the flanges A to protect the parts of the electric coupling. These caps can be made integral with the flanges A when new castings are being made for air-brake couplings, in which case no extra pieces are required for electric couplings,except the springs and stop aforesaid. It will therefore be seen that my improved electric coupling is extremely simple and quite inexpensive, and, as the parts are well protected,will last as long as the airbrake coupling to which they are attached.

What I claim is- In an electric coupling for cars, the combination of an air-brake coupling consisting of two like counte parts, each adapted to be secured to an air-conducting tube or hose, astationary plate and a movable plate secured .to the outside of each section of the coupling, and wires attached to said plates, the parts being arranged as described, whereby, when the sections of the air-brake couplings are coupled, the movable plate of each couplingseetion engages the stationary plate of the other section, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification, in the presence of two witnesses,this 7th day of April, 1886.

GEORGE W. TAYLOR.

Witnesses:

JOHN J. SULLIVAN, WV. W. SHARPE. 

